Columbia University engineers have developed an ultrasensitive all-optical nanoscale force detector that uses light to measure force. This breakthrough sensor boasts the largest dynamic range and most sensitive force response ever achieved, making it a game-changer for various industries.
The new detector is based on specially engineered luminescent nanocrystals that change intensity or color when any mechanical force is applied. Researchers discovered this phenomenon through photon-avalanching, a chain reaction triggered by injecting a single photon into specific nanoparticles. This effect reveals the particles’ extreme sensitivity to force, outperforming existing optical sensors.
Tests showed that the new detector is 100 times more sensitive than current optical sensors and can detect forces in a range of four orders of magnitude – an unprecedented dynamic range of 10-100 times larger than any previous nanosensor. This sensitivity allows for monitoring delicate systems, such as developing embryos or tracking cellular migration, with unprecedented accuracy.
According to project leader Jim Schuck, the discovery has the potential to disrupt multiple industries, including robotics, biophysics, medicine, and space travel. The sensor’s ability to operate in a variety of environments, utilizing benign infrared light, makes it an ideal tool for monitoring technological and physiological systems from afar.
The researchers believe their force detector can aid in detecting malfunction or failure in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and enabling early detection of critical changes in forces and pressures. This technology has the potential to transform industries ranging from human health to energy and sustainability, according to Schuck.
The study is published in Nature, and researchers are excited about this discovery, which transforms the paradigm of sensing by allowing for more sensitive and dynamic mapping of critical changes in forces and pressures in real-world environments.
Source: https://thedebrief.org/the-force-is-strong-in-this-one-engineers-discover-all-optical-nanoscale-force-detector